The bright red colored flag stands tall at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in Vimy, France.The principal object in the flag is the maple leaf, which is in the center of the flag. Did you know that the renowned professor, George Stanley from the Royal Military College, was the one behind the famous maple leaf flag design?The red maple leaf on a white background for the flag ensures that it could highlight the prominence with no distractions. The flag contains two red rectangular patches on either side. In between them, there is a white square-shaped space that features the red maple leaf. A country’s national flag is not only a symbol of the nation but also reflects the nation’s history, present, and future views. Feb 15, 1965, was the historic date when the present national flag of Canada was hoisted and adopted as the official flag. Thus, National Flag Day is held each year in Canada on February 15.Prior to the current flag being used, there’s a long history of the Canadian flag. In the mid-19th century the Canadian Red Ensign, along with the symbol of the Union Jack, was an ensemble as the national flag for about 100 years. The Union Jack, which you may find with the name of Union Flag, was a product of British colonialism. Although the Union Jack did not remain on the national flag consistently over the years, the Canadian Red Ensign was featured on the national flag until 1965 and served as the flag of Canada.The Leaf Points In The Canadian FlagThere are 11 points on the maple leaf of the national flag of Canada.Many have the misconception that the maple leaf in the Canadian flag with the 11 points represents the territories of the country, which is actually completely incorrect. Strangely enough, the 11 points don’t specifically represent anything.If we look back in history, you’ll come across other flags which have a large number of points in the maple leaf. There have been 13 pointed leaves and even 15 pointed ones! The number of points was changed as the details became difficult to see when viewed from far.The Leaf In The Canadian FlagThe maple leaf is suggested as a national symbol of Canada, and therefore the national flag of Canada is sometimes called ’the Maple Leaf Flag’. It’s suggested that this maple leaf design is also a way to show the enriched cultural shades of the nation and its people.The symbol of the red maple leaf in the flag of Canada is a historical remark since the 18th century. The artist who curated the red maple leaf in the Canadian flag is Jacques Saint-Cyr.There had been a few copyright issues regarding the ownership of the design of the Canadian flag, though thankfully these have been ultimately resolved. The maple leaf design is actually is a token from the Royal Military College of Canada.The largest Canadian flag, which was unfurled at Stanley Park just ahead of the country’s 150th birthday celebrations, was actually 460 ft (140 m) long with 230 ft (70 m) in width. It covered an area of a whopping 106,562.7 sq ft (9,900 sq m)!The present national flag of the country is double in length as measured from the width.Every weekday, the Canadian flag on the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill in Ottawa is changed. Starting in 1994, Canadians have been able to apply to receive one of these flags for free. Given it’s changed weekly, this allows for 248 flags per year to be mailed out to Canadians. But there’s a catch. The program is so successful that the waiting list for a flag is now huge. Canadians applying today may need to wait around 100 years to receive their flag!Some people have asked why is there a maple leaf in the new Canadian flag? The new national flag represents the natives of the country. The flag flying proudly above Parliament Hill denotes the land. Maple leaves obtained from the maple tree represent a picture of the country.What colors are in the Canadian flag?The Canadian Government represents the unity of its people through the flag. A later descendent of the British flag with the royal arms, the Canadian flag underwent quite a lot of transformation before taking its present form. We will dive into the details the drop-dead red color proclaims.King George V. decided on the co-existence of white and red in this single maple leaf flag in the year 1921. This is a royal proclamation that is always attached to the colors of the national flag of Canada.The color red is also a portrayal of the Canadian heritage which has also been expressed in the earlier flags through different designs. The white in the flag has been derived from the French royal emblem while the red is a descendent of Saint George’s cross.The red in the flag of Canada is a representation of hope and prosperity while white symbolizes peace, inclusivity, and impartiality.Fun fact: The Alberta province of Canada, once represented in Canada’s flag, is represented through the official Alberta flag which consists of the red cross followed by the Prairies. The color blue stands for the sky while the mountains with the fields represent the Prairies.Political And Cultural Significance Of The Canadian FlagTalking about the Canadian flag, it’s important to understand the small history attached to the first flag that was officially hoisted in Canada. The historic figure, John Cabot, did this in the year 1497.The new national flag of Canada is a consequence of the end of World War II when the Canadian Red Ensign was banished from the Canadian flag. The need for a new flag to represent the independence of the nation was felt, which led to the adoption of the official flag.Many have hoisted different flags on Canadian soil, like the royal union flag, but the maple leaves have vanquished them all.You may have heard about the committee that was formed in 1964 by Lester B.Pearson, then Prime Minister. The motive of the committee was to decide the design of the national flag of the country and resolve the great ‘flag problem’.The Prime Minister, who was then the leader of the opposition, zeroed in on the design originally drafted by Alan Beddoe and called it ’the Pearson Pennant’ named after the person who chose it. It has three maple leaves instead of one and is also featured against a white and blue background, which was depicted as a white field.Before the present flag design was approved, there were a lot of designs considered. In fact, there were over 5000 designs suggested before selecting the one we know and associate with Canada today.Canadians can take pride in the fact that the experts who chose the design did so because of its beauty, simplicity, and the choice of colors that have meaning to the country and its people.Canada’s new flag was declared the official flag by Queen Elizabeth II on Jan 28, 1965. The flag is now 56 years old.Be it Canada or any other country, the national flag is something that not only carries national symbols but also represents the national values, the struggle of the country’s people, and the government. It’s no easy feat for any government to come to a consensus while choosing the nation’s flag design and official colours. We hope the article has given you enough to ponder about the red maple leaf portrayed on the white band a lot more deeply.
The bright red colored flag stands tall at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in Vimy, France.
